"Mhysa" is the tenth and final episode of the third season of Game of Thrones. It is the thirtieth episode of the series overall.[1]It premiered on June 9, 2013. It was written by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Plot
Template:S03E10 Synopsis
Summary
In the Seven Kingdoms
At the Twins, following the massacre of the northern lords at the Red Wedding, House Frey turns its soldiers on the northern army encamped outside their walls. The ensuing battle is a one-sided massacre as the leaderless northerners fight desperately for survival. Arya Stark and the Hound slip away from the carnage, but not before seeing her brother's mutilated corpse being paraded by Frey men-at-arms, his head cut off and replaced by his direwolf Grey Wind.
In the great hall of the castle the following morning, as servants clean up the aftermath of the Red Wedding, Lords Walder Frey and Roose Bolton gloat over their victory and the rewards their treachery has won them; Frey has become Lord of Riverrun and Bolton has been appointed Warden of the North in place of the Starks, until Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister produce an heir to The North. Bolton expresses some concern that Brynden Tully escaped the massacre but Frey dismisses his concerns, pointing out the Blackfish is alone and outnumbered against Houses Frey, Bolton, and Lannister. Bolton makes plain his contempt for Robb Stark, considering the late boy-king arrogant, incompetent and unwilling to take Roose's advice and make the hard decisions needed to win. Walder questions Bolton about his intentions to take Winterfell as his seat and asks how the castle ended up a ruin. Roose explains that his bastard Ramsay offered Robb Stark's terms that the ironborn occupiers would be shown mercy if they handed over Theon Greyjoy, but when they did they learned that Ramsay, in his father's words, "has his own way of doing things" and flayed them alive.
At the Dreadfort, Ramsay Snow eats his breakfast of a thick sausage, taunting Theon about his recent emasculation and laughing as Theon finally begs for death as a release from the nightmare. Ramsay tells him that he is more valuable alive than dead so the answer must be no. Ramsay notes that Theon reeks, and decides that that shall be his new name: Reek. Ramsay beats Theon, who eventually breaks down and says his name is Reek.
On Pyke, Balon Greyjoy reads a message from Lord Bolton's bastard while his daughter Yara Greyjoy cautiously opens a box crudely carved with the Greyjoy kraken. As Ramsay's letter explains the box contains "Theon's favorite toy." The message bluntly says that the ironborn have until the full moon to withdraw from the North or receive more bits and pieces of Theon. In addition any remaining Ironborn will be flayed alive. Balon is indifferent to Theon's situation since he defied Balon's orders and Yara's common sense when he stayed at Winterfell. Furthermore he cannot further the Greyjoy line, as the contents of the box prove. Yara has finally had enough and announces her intention to take her fastest ship, her fifty best men, sail around Westeros, besiege the Dreadfort, and liberate Theon.
Somewhere in the Riverlands, a despondent Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane ride for destinations unknown. They pass close to a small group of Frey men, one of whom is bragging about being one of the men who cut off Grey Wind's head and attached it to Robb Stark's body. Arya approaches them and asks to warm herself by the fire. She offers the coin given to her by Jaqen H'ghar as payment. When the Frey man investigates, she stabs him in the neck. Slightly thrown, the Hound deals with the others before demanding to know where Arya got the knife. She reveals it's his. As he grumbles and cleans up the bodies, Arya whispers, "valar morghulis".
Meanwhile, in King's Landing, Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark walk through the gardens. A pair of passing gentlemen snigger at Tyrion, either for his dwarf status or due to rumors he has not consummated his marriage. Sansa tells him to pay them no mind. Tyrion reminds Sansa that he's used to it, as he's always been a dwarf. He also states that he's not Joffrey, Tyrion would rather bide his time and humiliate them. Sansa playfully follows his line of thinking, and suggests "sheep-shifting"- secretly hiding sheep's dung deep within a mattress (as Arya used to do to her), so that the target always wakes up smelling of dung. Tyrion is amused but is confused by the term, though he realizes belatedly that Sansa has misheard the word "shit". He is rescued from having to explain his wife's mistake by Podrick Payne, who calls him to a meeting of the Small Council.
In Tywin's chambers Grand Maester Pycelle dithers over giving Tyrion a coded message from Lord Frey. Cersei and a jubilant Joffrey give an overview of the Red Wedding. Tyrion isn't particularly excited, already foreseeing the long-term problems that the incident will cause, but Joffrey brushes him off and gleefully states that he intends to serve Robb's severed head to Sansa at his wedding feast. None of the Small Council is able to mask how distasteful they find the concept, particularly when a puzzled Joffrey states he isn't joking. Tyrion flatly forbids it and baits Joffrey, who angrily reminds the council that he is the king. Tywin counters that a king who has to remind his subjects of the fact is no king. Joffrey goes apoplectic and tries to fight his grandfather, deriding Tywin as a coward who hid under Casterly Rock while Joffrey's father won the real war. Nonplussed, Tywin simply declares that the king is tired and advises the queen regent to see him to bed. Tywin dismisses the rest of the council, save Tyrion, who is delighted at what has just happened: the lord of the Seven Kingdoms has been sent to bed without his supper. He then confronts Tywin about his part in the Red Wedding, noting that Walder Frey is a coward and would not have done something nearly this ambitious if he didn't have assurances from Tywin. The Hand blithely confirms it and dismisses Tyrion's concerns that the northerners will never forget nor forgive such an outrage, believing setting a brutal example will prevent future northern rebellions. Tywin again waxes poetic about family, particularly regarding Tyrion's failure to consumate his marriage to Sansa, but Tyrion finally has enough. He refuses to force himself on Sansa to do his duty, as well as noting that she is hardly likely to warm up to him after learning the Lannisters have murdered her mother and brother, and demands to know when it was that Tywin actually put his family first in and of itself, instead of just the family's prestige. Tywin says that was the day of Tyrion's birth: he wanted to leave him on the beach to be washed away by the sea, but Tyrion is a Lannister and Tywin couldn't bring himself to do it.
Immediately after leaving, Tyrion returns to his chambers and calls for Sansa, who simply regards him with a forlorn, tear-streaked face. Tyrion backs out, knowing that not even his sympathy will help her.
Elsewhere in the Red Keep, Varys meets with Shae. He tells her that he knows she is genuinely in love with Tyrion- and that is why she should take the diamonds he offers her and leave immediately for Essos to build a new, lavish life for herself. Varys is convinced that Tyrion is the last hope for the Seven Kingdoms' current regime, therefore Shae is a weakness that Tyrion, and thus the realm, cannot afford. Shae confirms that she is in love with Tyrion and that she cares deeply for Sansa as well, but in spite of her pain at seeing them together and the danger she poses, Shae will not leave until or unless Tyrion asks her to.
Unknown to everyone in King's Landing, Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, and Qyburn finally arrive; the city folk do not even recognise Jaime after his long absence from the capital. They make their way to the Red Keep, where Jaime immediately calls on Cersei, who regards him with a confused look as she takes in his disheveled appearance and missing hand.
At Dragonstone, Ser Davos Seaworth tests his new-found literacy on Stannis Baratheon's correspondence, declining Shireen Baratheon's invitation to read more tales of Aegon I Targaryen. He expresses dissatisfaction about the odd spelling of the word "night", before hearing the horns that signal Melisandre's intents to sacrifice Gendry. He argues with Stannis again about sacrificing the boy, but Stannis is convinced by Melisandre that using Gendry as part of her blood magic will give him the power to destroy his enemies and claim the Iron Throne. When he doesn't get through to his liege, Davos takes matters into his own hands and frees the boy, giving him a rowboat and directions to King's Landing. A furious Stannis tries to throw Davos back into the dungeon but the Onion Knight produces a letter from the Night's Watch. Davos insists that it is Stannis' duty to assist the black brothers, and that he will need Davos's assistance to rally troops and mercenaries. Melisandre burns the letter and acknowledges the truth: the War of the Five Kings is immaterial. The true war lies in the North, and evil and death are marching on the Wall. She also agrees that Davos has an important role to play in the events to come. Stannis laughs at R'hllor's sense of humor, noting that the god Davos likes to mock has chosen him for a higher purpose.
At the Wall
Arriving at the abandoned Nightfort, Meera Reed tells Bran, Hodor and Jojen that the castle is safe to enter. While around the fire Bran tells the story of the Rat Cook, a Night's Watch member who killed a guest under his roof, a sin the gods cannot forgive. Later that night, Bran is awoken by a sound, and wakes his companions in time to see something large climbing out of the castle well; Meera attacks and overpowers the intruder, who is revealed to be Samwell Tarly, accompanied by Gilly. Sam quickly deduces Bran's identity, seeing Bran's direwolf. Bran asks Sam to take him and his group north of the Wall, and though Sam protests the idea, given the threat of the White Walkers and the undead horde they command approaching, he eventually relents and takes them through the passage. Before they separate Sam gives the group the rest of his dragonglass supply and tells them that it has the power to kill White Walkers. The groups then head in different directions; Sam and Gilly for Castle Black, and the Reeds and Bran beyond the Wall.
At Castle Black, Sam and Gilly meet with Maester Aemon, who is furious at the prospect of Sam having violated his vows. Sam defends himself by reciting the Night's Watch oath to protect the realms of men whatever side of the Wall they are on and repeating Jeor Mormont's assertion that a wall of ice 500 leagues long and 700 feet high was not built to keep out barbarians. Aemon's demeanor softens upon learning that Gilly was one of Craster's wives, and acknowledges that she is now a refugee and should be sheltered. Aemon then orders Sam to begin writing letters immediately and make sure that all forty-four of Castle Black's ravens are well-fed, as every one of them is to fly that night: the White Walkers have returned, and Westeros must be warned.
Stopping to rest and tend to his injuries after fleeing the wildlings, Jon Snow finds himself confronted by a furious Ygritte, who has an arrow ready to shoot him. Jon tries to talk Ygritte out of shooting him, insisting that he still loves her. Though his feelings are clearly reciprocated Ygritte is still angered by his betrayal and shoots Jon three times with her bow as he flees from her. Badly injured, Jon makes it back to Castle Black where Sam and Pypar recognise him and insist he be taken care of.
Across the Narrow Sea
Outside the walls of Yunkai, Daenerys Targaryen and her advisors wait for the city's slaves to appear. Daenerys frets that the Yunkish slaves, who are better treated than Astapor's might have grown to like their chains and will not welcome freedom. Finally, the gates open and the freedmen pour out. Missandei begins to tell them of how Daenerys the Unburnt freed them, but Daenerys interrupts and says that it is the slaves' own choice to reach for their freedom. After a moment, one of the freedmen stretches his hand towards Daenerys and calls out "mhysa". After a moment, another follows suit, then another and another until the entire crowd is chanting "mhysa". Bewildered, Daenerys turns to Missandei, who reveals that the word means "mother" in the Ghiscari language. When the slaves advance on Daenerys, the Unsullied step into formation, but the queen tells them to stand down. Telling her dragons to fly, Daenerys steps out of the protection of the Unsullied and into the crowd, who carry on their chanting. Daenerys is embraced by the former slaves, offering a glimmer of hope in an increasingly darker world.
Appearances
- Main: Mhysa/Appearances
First
- Frey soldier #1
- Frey soldier #2
- Desmond Crakehall
- Eldrick Sarsfield
- Night's Watchman
- Fruit vendor
- Yunkai'i slave #1
- Yunkai'i slave #2
- Yunkai'i slave #3
- Yunkai'i slave #4
- Yunkai'i slave #5
Deaths
- Many House Stark soldiers
- Frey soldier #1
- Frey soldier #2
Production
Cast
Cast notes
- 21 of 24 cast members for the third season appear in this episode.
- Starring cast members Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Jerome Flynn (Bronn) and Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
Notes
- As explained in the episode, "Mhysa", meaning "mother", is a Ghiscari loanword in Slaver's Bay Low Valyrian, hence why Daenerys didn't know it: though she speaks the Common Tongue, Dothraki, and several dialects of Valyrian, she doesn't understand Ghiscari.
Memorable Quotes
Joffrey Baratheon: "I am not TIRED."
Yara Greyjoy: "I'm going to march on the Dreadfort, I'm going to find my little brother and I'm going to bring him home."
Tywin Lannister: "Any man who must say 'I am the king' is no true king."
Theon Greyjoy: "Reek. My name is Reek."
Ramsay Snow: "Do you think I'm some sort of savage?"
Varys: "We learn their language but we'll never be their countrymen."
Arya Stark: "Valar Morghulis."
Jon Snow: "I do know some things. I know I love you. I know you love me."
Image Gallery
References
- ↑ WinterIsComing.net, February 28, 2013.